Armando Dippet
, Chapter 13, he looked "widened" and "frail-looking". The scene took place in June 1943. If he was very elderly then, he had to be born in at least the 19th century, and perhaps even earlier. |Death = Bef. December 1995In an interview at the Edinburgh Book Festival, J.K. Rowling stated every portrait of Hogwarts was of a dead person. Armando's portrait first appeared in the books in December 1995. He would have passed away before then. |Other Names = Professor Headteacher |Blood status = |Family = |School = |School House = |Wand = |Patronus = |Animagus = |Boggart = |Occupation = Headteacher of Hogwarts School |Loyalty = }}Professor Armando Dippet was a wizard who was Headteacher of Hogwarts School before Albus Dumbledore. Biography Earlier life Armando Dippet was born in the 19th century or earlier. He probably attended Hogwarts School, but if so, he was not sorted into Slytherin.In , Chapter 16, it was stated that Severus Snape was the first Slytherin Headteacher since Phineas Nigellus Black. Dippet was a Headteacher after Phineas, who passed away in 1925, so if he attended Hogwarts he was in a different House. It's unknown if he taught at Hogwarts School before taking the post of Headteacher. He was probably Phineas Nigellus Black's successor.Phineas died in 1925 according to a family tree for the Black family drawn by J.K. Rowling. Dippet is the next Headteacher chronologically known, who had the job less than 20 years later. It's therefore probable he was Black's successor. Headteacher at Hogwarts In an unknown year, Herbology Professor Herbert Beery proposed a play of The Fountain of Fair Fortune be performed to the whole school. Professor Dippet gave permission but it proved a failure because two of the actors broke up and caused a scene during the performance. Teaching Tom Riddle Professor Dippet was Headteacher of Hogwarts School before June 1943. Tom Riddle had opened the Chamber of Secrets and a student was killed, but he had no clue who was responsible. He had the students told that the legend was just a fictional story. Unless he located those responsible, the school was going to be closed down. Tom sent a letter to Professor Dippet to ask if he would let him stay at the school for the summer. He told Tom that he could not grant permission for such a thing, especially because the school was no longer safe. Tom was shocked to hear the school could be closed down and asked if it would stay open if the person responsible was caught. Dippet asked if Tom knew anything but he wouldn't say and Dippet let him go. Tom later "found" the person responsible, pinning it on Rubeus Hagrid. He thought Dippet was gullible but he couldn't understand why anyone would think Hagrid had the brains to find the Chamber of Secrets. Hagrid was expelled but Dippet wanted to cover up why. He invented a story about how the student was killed in a freak accident and gave Tom a warning to support such a story, but he was awarded a Special Award for Services to the School for the trouble. A teacher employed by Professor Dippet, Professor Dumbledore suspected Tom was lying but he was unable to persuade Dippet. But he was persuaded to keep Hagrid at the school and train him to be Keeper of Keys and Grounds. Tom graduated two years later and applied to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. Dippet thought he was too young and asked him to apply again in a few years. Dumbledore again advised Dippet he thought Tom was untrustworthy but Dippet was fond of him and thought he was being truthful. Later life and death In December 1956, he hired Minerva McGonagall to teach under the Head of Transfiguration, Professor Dumbledore. Professor Dippet was no longer Headteacher by September 1971. Professor Dumbledore was the successor to the post of Headteacher. He passed away before December 1995. Portrait A portrait of Professor Dippet was hung in the Headteacher's office. It gave advice to future Headteacher's during their tenure. In 1995, it was upset at the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black when he feigned tiredness because Dumbledore wanted him to go to 12 Grimmauld Place. Appearance By June 1943, Professor Dippet was a widened and frail-looking. He was nearly bald but had a few whisps of white hair left. Character In elderly age, he spoke in a very feeble voice. He showed concern towards students and he valued their safety. He thought it was worth covering up what happened during the first opening of the Chamber of Secrets, because he felt shame for being unable to prevent it. He was a stern disciplinarian who gave warnings and expelled students even before taking their story into consideration. He appears to value status, preferring the word of a Prefect instead of a third-year. It was perhaps too easy for such a highly-valued person to manipulate him because of their apparent good standing, unable to accept Tom was capable of opening of the Chamber of Secrets even if a colleague advised him otherwise. Notes and sources Category:Characters Category:Wizards Category:Professors